Hey guys! I am soooo soooo sorry I took so long to update! But this year is hectic I have to apply too colleges and I have three periods of chemistry and everything. I will resume to normal updates after all my stuff for college is in so hopefully by you guys are here to read the story so enough of me rambling enjoy!
CH 10
His next target was the rattaki emissary Josel Var. The simplicity and ease of the task was a relief from his usual targets. He slunk out of the Twi'lek senator's rooms lowering himself by extenshabeams down the sixty seven story building he had just infiltrated. The rattaki emissary held up his residence in a palace of sorts, which on other occasions was opened as the Museum of Rattaki archeology.
Hailing a taxicab, and paying the driver in advance, which in his case meant a quick execution over the slow and inefficient torture Xanatos preferred. He commandeered it to the southern gardens arranged adjacent to the residence of his next target.
He then silently trapezed across the high arches of the garden pillars and slipped into the second floor of the museum. He paused on the ledge sending the force to assess his opponent's numbers.
The force whispered, there were two guards in front of every door and window, including his own.
He could smell their security, their arrogance their pride. Ahhh, yes he would enjoy abasing these proud strong warriors and bask in their fear. It was neither cruelty nor injustice as Kenobi pointed out to him many times with his Jedipit sense of humor. These warriors wanted nothing more than to gain more strength and power. And pain made a man stronger did it not? After all pain was only weakness leaving the body was it not? So with this logic he would actually be doing them a favor, wouldn't he? He could almost laugh and the dark side would laugh with him.
He snapped the necks of the two guards at his window, emerging in a rather large corridor draped in orange brocade, with floors carpeted in gold colored carpeting. What vulgar taste, no wonder Lord Sideous wanted them eliminated, the sarcastic remark his mind flashed made him frown. Kenobi must be rubbing off on me his scowl deepened at the revelation.
The force shuddered, danger, brushing the thought away he shadowed his new targets from above pressing himself closer to the ceiling, blending in the shadows. The two rattaki tribesmen were armed with sharp long husas, heavy spears traditionally coated in a metalian alloid and poisoned at the tips; one drop of the venom in the spears would instantly paralyze a man. Two would be his requiem, unless of course the subject the venom was applied on was a force user, in this case a Sith. The force mercifully allowed such a victim twenty three seconds during which the poison could be removed.
Not wishing to test the force Maul waited for them to pass dropped down behind them and in one whirling stroke sent two heads clattering soundlessly to the ground. The force sang cruelly. There would be much bloodshed tonight.
He continued his way down the dark and rather distastefully decorated corridors. The three guards indulging in a game of bone dice didn't see the haunting shadow until it was too late. The first lost all limbs, the second his head and the third had his entire nervous system overloaded with lightning. They dropped like flies before him. He shadowed through the vast rooms littered with rattaki servants scattering as he cut his way through the double doors.
At last he entered the main chamber guarded by two rattaki grunts, large and brutish their bulk making up for their lack of brain. With three precise strikes the heads and torsos were split asunder.
He burned a hole on the automated lock. So much for technological innovations, the force shuddered as he entered the sleeping chambers of the Rattaki Prime. The Prime was sleeping seemingly unaware of the danger. He slunk to the bed. Shame he wasn't Xanatos otherwise he would have woken the fool up tortured him and burned him giving him a slow and agonizing death. But theatrics were not his forte and quit kills were so much cleaner. There was a deadly beauty in a silent kill. He swung and beheaded the Prime. The irony, the rattaki elected their kings based off strength and yet seemingly overlooked the fact that when asleep they were no weaker than the ordinary citizens who couldn't even lift a blaster.
An alarm went off in the distance. One of the concubines must have set it off. He force leapt onto the next building. Scaled down and checked his holo for the next target. Jedispit, Andel Hek the head of the Naboo intergalactic negotiations was on Naboo. That would mean a thirty three hour flight using hyper speed just to reach the planet if taking into consideration the man after the last few kills would still be on Naboo. But Kenobi was on Naboo, curse it all he would owe Kenobi again. He hated it Kenobi's eyes. Why were they blue like his masters? He could report failure… Ask for an extension of time… But no he had failed one too many times to be pardoned. At least Kenobi's eyes didn't shift. He punched in the frequency.
"Kenobi"
Meanwhile on Naboo
Kenobi? I practically stuttered?
"Lieutenant Kenobi at your service," he saluted me, "Is he yours?" he motioned to the Anakin.
"Yes, he will be taken to the temple," I looked away briefly hesitant to meet his gaze, then looked back again. The baby fat of a youngling had all but disappeared, before me stood not an Obi wan but a Lieutenant Kenobi.
"Obi Wan?"
"Yes Master Jedi, that's my name."
"Kenobi? Obi Wan Kenobi?" I had to know did he blame me? Hate me? I had rejected him condemned him to the Agri Corps, perhaps if he had been my apprentice things would have been different. Kai would have received a better Master. But no it was better this way, what if I had been the death of Kenobi instead. The thought haunted me, a failed master of the luminous Jedi order.
"Yes, Master Jedi, is there a problem?" Lieutenant Kenobi's brow furrowed.
"You don't remember me? Qui Gon Jinn?" I asked not without a note of regret in my voice.
"Oh," he paused somewhat sheepishly running a hand through his hair.
"How do you know Lieutenant Kenobi?" Anakin's attention was more on the plate of food then on the question so I gave it to him sighing. "Lieutenant Kenobi used to be a padawan in the Jedi order but he never received a master. I looked at Obi wan to see if he would add anything.
He smiled wistfully. "That's right you have to be very strong and very kind to be a Jedi. You must also be willing to give up many things. It is a good path but a hard path."
Thank the force my mouth didn't drop open at the answer. Such a controlled and political one! He had changed! He was not the rash and spirited youngling I had known him to be. Perhaps I had judged him too soon!
"Um, Qui Gon sir?" asked my young ward asked worriedly "Um will I be your padawan? I have to free all the slaves! I have too!" his eyes looked pleadingly at me his food forgotten.
I sighed, the council still hadn't decided what his position would be, although now it seemed they would be more willing to train the boy, if only to prevent darker hands from getting their hands on this divergence in the force. "Don't worry Anakin the council will decide tomorrow." Or so Mace had told me. I could sense his force signature coming this way.
We stood in awkward silence, I broke it first. "How do you like your job?"
"Oh it's very fulfilling; my occupation requires all the skills I've received at the temple it's as if I am still in training." He winked at me as if to hide a secret.
Mace entered his timing never better.
"Kenobi?" Mace's confused shock in the force was unnerving. "What are you doing on Naboo? How are you alive?" Mace's voice was forceful and slightly tinged with confusion.
"Master" Kenobi bowed smiling slightly "Pardon but I have forgotten your name, regardless I came here after I turned of age and was given leave in the Agri corps."
Mace frowned.
"We received a list from the Agri corps, it was in your year that an epidemic broke out Bandomeer, and you, Ben, were listed among the dead."
Dead? Epidemic? I shot a questioning look at Mace. He motioned with his hand indicating he would tell me later. He had better an explanation was due.
Obi wan frowned and looked at the statement, then looked up as if recalling something. "Indeed master Jedi there was another initiate Bentaris who went by Ben it must have been him that they meant."
"I see," Mace ran a hand over his scalp. "I heard the epidemic was horrible, I apologize for what you were forced to endure."
A shadow passed over Kenobi. "Thank you"
Not knowing what to do or say for the matter I busied myself with Anakin who had fallen asleep and tucked him in.
Kenobi's holo rang. His eyes widened at the frequency. My apologize masters but my job leaves little room for idle chat. He bowed. And he disappeared through the door just as quickly as he had disappeared from my life.
I Qui Gon Jinn have condemned a mere boy too such danger with my refusal! I looked at Anakin's sleeping form. Perhaps my master was right. Perhaps I should not teach the chosen one. Or perhaps his training would be my redemption.